Casper l



(No Model.)

0. L. REDPIELD.

CIRCUIT CLOSING'DE VICE FOR MATRIX MAKING MACHINES. No. 416,742.Patented Dec. 10, 1889.

- wvantoz I "UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CASPER L. REDFIELD, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNEsorA, ASSIGNOR, BY MEsNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE CHICAGO MATRIX MACHINE COMPANY.

CIRCUIT-CLOSING DEVICE FOR, MATRIX-MAKING MACHINES...

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,742, datedDecember 10,1889.

Serial No. 303,398. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Beit known that I, CASPER L. REDFIELD, acitizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county ofHennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Circuit-Closing Devices for Matrix-Making Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electricallyoperated machines for makingmatrices by the successive impression of independent dies into amatrix-body, and specifically to the means for completing the electriccircuit between the operating key or indicator and the appropriateelectro-Inagnets for causing a proper matrix-carriage movement and theimpingement of a plunger upon the selected die. The extent of thematrix-carriage movement required to suitably space the impressions madeby dies depressed successively at a common point necessitates variablecarriage movements proportioned to the size of the characters to beimpressed, and requires separate magnets for the several measures ofmovement required of the carriage.

Letters and characters requiring the same space may have a commonmagnet; but heretofore a separate circuit-maker and an independent Wirefor each letter and character shown on the index-plate have been theonly means used for completing the circuit with the proper magnet forthe selected letter or character; and, with a view to simplifying theconstruction of the machine and enhancing its utility, it is the objectof my present invention to do away with a multiplicity of pins, springs,wires, &c., by substituting therefor a suitable series of insulatedconducting-plates, each connected by a single wire with its appropriatemagnet.

For the purpose of illustration I have supposed a set of nineteencharacters requiring,

by reason oftheir varying sizes, a division of the matrix movements intosix different measurements, each of which is controlled by a separatemagnet having an electrical connnection only with the plate arranged toclose the circuit for characters of the same size.

In practice any number of letters and characters may be used and anydesirable number of measures of movement of the matrix arranged for.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure l is avertical section of an index-plate and of the devices of theimprovement. Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the index-plate; Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6,and 7, plan views of the conducting-plates; Fig. 8,a detail, and Fig. 9a modification.

In the drawings the parts are considerably enlarged for the purpose ofclearer illustration.

In said drawings, A designates an indexplate having indexed openings a.

B is'a pin connected to .a key or lever to serve as a circuit-closerupon its being inserted through the holes a to the plates below. I

The conducting-plates C, O, 0 (3 ,0 and G which may themselves be ofvery thin metal, have interposed between them thin plates D, ofinsulating material, andall of these are united by bolts d or otherwiseto form acoinpound plate of very little thickness. Each of theconducting-plates C O, 850., has a projecting ear 0, to which a wire isattached to connect it with its appropriate magnet. C

To enable the circuit-closer B to reach any of the plates beneath thetop one,it is obvious that holes, as 6, must be provided in all of theSo plates'above the one with which Contact is to be made. The plates maybe flat throughout, or, if desired, in order that the distance ofdescent of the circuit-closer B will be the same for all contacts, theportions of the lower 8 5 plates coincident with the holes eof theplates above may be suitably pressed up to form cones f, and these maybe platinum-tipped for service.

Instead of showing on the index-plate the C I Fig. 1, or by having theinsulating-plates D project Within the openings, as shown in Fig. 8, orby coating the sides of the pin 13 with insulating material.

In Fig. 9 one of the cones f is shown filled with some solid substanceto giveit strength.

The plates 0 C, &c., are provided with lugs h, similarly arranged oneach plate, so that the plates can be quickly put together in theirproper order, and the ears 0, being arranged at different points, enablethe electric Wires to be attached readily and with lit-. tle chance ofmistake.

The operation of the devices will probably be apparent. The depressionof the pin B throughone of the index-holes a to make a contact for oneof the set of characters indicated. by the numeral 1 will touch the flatsurface of the plateC at one of the points so marked on the plate, Fig.3. To reach one of the set designated 2, the depression of the pinthrough one of the index-holes marked 2 will cause it to touch one ofthe cones 2 ion the second plate 0, Fig. 4, and so, to make contact withthe plates (3*, C 0', and O the pin Bis inserted in any one of theholes, as 3 4, 850., corresponding With the numerals of the cones on thedesired plate. Thus a circuit through the plate C will cause a minimumadvance movement of the matrix, a circuit through the next plate C willcausea matrix advanoeof the second measurement, and so on with eachplate, each serving to cause the proper matrix movement for all of thecharacters requiring like matrix space.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a matriX-making machine having a variablematrix-feed operated electrically, a perforated index-plate, acircuit-closer, and a series of metallic plates to complete the circuitsfor the several variant feed movements, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the'perforated indeX-plate of a matrix-makingmachine and its circuit-closing indicator-pin, of a series of plates,each of which is arranged to serve as a circuitmaker for all the indexedcharacters of a selected class, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a perforated index-plate of a matrix-makingmachine and its circuit-closing indicator-pin, of metallic plates andintervening insulating-plates having suitable openings" and contact-point s, Wherebyeaoh plate may have several electrical contact-pointscoincident with perforations of the index-plate, substantially as setforth.

' CASPER L. RE-DFIELD. Witnesses:

I. H. GUNQKEL, G. E. LA CLAIR.

